This video features an American family that managed to send a balloon into space – up to 100,000 feet – and retrieve its camera which shot outstanding views from the upper stratosphere. Special thanks to Xavier (http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com) who provided the link to this amazing footage:

The Eurocopter X3 concept is a High-speed long-range Hybrid Helicopter (H3 concept) which flies up to 220 knots or 410 km/h. Special thanks to Xavier – http://passiondesavions.blogspot.com webmaster – who stumbled upon this French-subtitled video:

The Sikorsky X2 Technology demonstrator reportedly broke the speed record for rotorcraft on Monday at a maximum speed of 225 knots (417 km/h).

The previous record had been set by Trevor Egginton on a Westland G-Lynx at a speed of 216 kts (400 km/h) on August 11, 1986. The fly-by-wire X2 helicopter was flown by Kevin Bredenbeck. Unfortunately, the test flight performance was not officially.

With a counter-rotating coaxial rotor, and its brand new tail configuration, the X2 is more maneuverable as the helicopter gains in speed. Moreover, the X2 would be excellent at low-speed handling as well as hovering.

The X2 Technology demonstrator combines an integrated suite of technologies intended to advance the state-of-the-art, counter-rotating coaxial rotor helicopter. It is designed to demonstrate that a helicopter can cruise comfortably at 250 knots while retaining such desirable attributes as excellent

Thanks to its integrated auxiliary propulsion system – coaxial pusher prop concept, and to other assets among which its reduced hub drag, the Sikorsky X2 prototype should exceed the 250-knot benchmark (463 km/h)!